Virginia Beach, Va. - The shops along Atlantic Avenue were packed with tourists Memorial Day weekend--but they weren’t buying stuff for the water.
“We have been very busy, except we haven’t been selling body boards, we have been selling sweatshirts,” said Lissette Jury, who works at Beach Bag at the Oceanfront.
Virginia Beach sweaters and hoodies topped the hot list this first weekend of summer, displayed at the front of every store we walked by.
“We didn’t expect it to be quite as chilly as it was,” said Rob Lovell, who traveled from Harrisonburg for the weekend with his wife Sharon.
You didn’t see as many people lounging on the beach, or braving the cold Atlantic Ocean.
“Ankle depth, that was about it for me, ankle depth,” said Byron Harris.
Visitors like Harris and his wife Shari spent their time doing other fun stuff, just off the boardwalk.
“Restaurants, lots of walking, bicycling,” said Harris.
Businesses like Pirate’s Paradise Mini-golf off 22nd street sure didn’t complain about the change.
“The whole course is filled up,” said Prez Miller, a course employee. “It’s because the water is so cold, so people will come over here and play mini-golf.”
Comparing this weekend to past Memorial Days…most people said it seemed less crowded.
But those spending money didn’t seem to mind.
“We are going to come back, definitely, whatever we don’t get in this time, we will come back and do that next time,” said Atashi Kashyep.
